ie not to me, I warn thee, else I will knock what wits are left there
from that red head of thine."

So Koll took up the tale and greatly bepraised Gudruda's beauty; nor
in truth, for all his talk, could he praise it too much. He told of her
dark eyes and the whiteness of her skin, of the nobleness of her shape
and the gold of her hair, of her wit and gentleness, till at length
Ospakar grew afire to see this flower of maids.

"By Thor, thou Koll," he said, "if the girl be but half of what thou
sayest, her luck is good, for she shall be wife to Ospakar. But if thou
hast lied to me about her, beware! for soon there shall be a knave the
less in Iceland."

Now a man rose in the hall and said that Koll spoke truth, for he had
seen Gudruda the Fair, Asmund's daughter, and there was no maid like her
in Iceland.

"I will do this now," said Blacktooth. "To-morrow I will send a
messenger to Middalhof, saying to Asmund the Priest that I purpose to
visit him at the time of the Yule-feast; then I shall see if the girl
pleases me. Meanwhile, Koll, take thou a seat among the thralls, and
here is something for thy pains," and he took off the purple cloak and
threw it to him.

"Thanks to thee, Gold-scatterer," said Koll. "It is wise to go soon to
Middalhof, for such a bloom as this maid does not lack a bee. There is
a youngling in the south, named Eric Brighteyes, who loves Gudruda, and
she, I think, loves him, though he is but a yeoman of small wealth and
is only twenty-five years old."

"Ho! ho!" laughed great Ospakar, "and I am forty-five. But let not this
suckling cross my desire, lest men call him Eric Holloweyes!"

Now the messenger of Ospakar came to Middalhof, and his words pleased
Asmund and he made ready a great feast. And Swanhild smiled, but Gudruda
was afraid.

IV

HOW ERIC CAME DOWN GOLDEN FALLS

Now Ospakar rode up to Middalhof on the day before the Yule-feast. He
was splendidly apparelled, and with him came his two sons, Gizur the
Lawman and Mord, young men of promise, and many armed thralls and
servants. Gudruda, watching at the women's door, saw his face in the
moonlight and loathed him.

"What thinkest thou of him who comes to seek thee in marriage,
foster-sister?" asked Swanhild, watching at her side.

"I think he is like a troll, and that, seek as he will, he shall not
find me. I had rather lie in the pool beneath Golden Falls than in
Ospakar's hall."

"That shall be proved," said Swanhild.